Wedge sawing machine



Jan. 8, ,1952 E. L. ICCGRMICK WEDGE sAwtNc MACHINE Filed July 7, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet l ITV mM.

INVENTOR.

NW QN u Jan. 8, 1952 a L M'coRMlcK.

' wEnGE SAWING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 7, 1949 Patented Jan. 8, 1952 f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims'.

This invention relates generally to machinesv for sawing wood, and more particularly. to a machinefor vsawing wedges that are employed in mines and tunnels for wedging up-posts and beams in timbering and supporting the roof of the mine or tunnel.

Machinery for doing this character of work usually employs a swinging arbor saw and the workpiece must be positioned lafter the saw is retracted. It is necessary to provide a forward work producing stroke of the saw and then retract it before inserting and cutting the next workpiece. Such an operation wastes time in repositioning the swing and kin ejecting the finished workpiece to replace it with another blank.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a machine that, when supplied with a consecutive series of prepared blocks, automatically cuts them into sized blocks or wedges, ejectingrst the scrap or piece from which the cut is made and thereafter ejecting the finished piece such as a block or wedge, which is transported to a bin or hopper for storage. A machine of this character eliminates time wasting hazard of manually feeding the blank and ejecting the finished piece in front of a swinging saw which is ever present in the former machines.

The machine comprising this invention is provided with a series of carriages each having an upwardly open seat upon which the block of wood is'placed for cutting. This seat may be made rectangular for cutting rectangular blocks or the carriage seat may be provided with a wedge shaped backup block for producing wedges. The sizev of the backup block may be varied to produce wedges of diierent thicknesses. The carriages are hingedly attached to an endless chain and are rigidly supported as they travel past a the wedge being formed and to permit a. close tolerance in relative moving parts of the machine. l

This machine is also provided with a camoperated dog or clamping finger which is automatically raised to permit the insertion of a block of wood on the upwardly open carriage seat which is formed bythe bottom and end walls of the carriage. As the carriage passes from the loading position with a block of wood thereon the dog or clamping finger engages the block, -holding it on the seat while the outer portion thereof is being sawed oi. When the carriage reaches the discharge position in its circular movement about the machine the dog or finger is again automatically raised and the newly formed block or wedge is ejected to a conveyor.

Other objects and advantages appear hereinafter in the' following descriptions and claims.

The accompanying drawings show, for the pur# pose of Iexemplification without limiting the invention or claims thereto, certain practical embodiments of the invention wherein:

Fig. y1 is a top plan View of the block cutting machine;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of chine shown in Fig. 1;

the ma- Fig. 3 is ya View in section taken on the linev operating the machine and the circular saw 4 on y.

the .other end of the shaft 2. Inwardly of the pulley 3, 4the shaft 2 is provided with the pulley 5, having a belt to drive the pulley 6 on the shaft 1 journaled on the bed. The other end of the 'shaft 1 has the pulley 8 which is connected through 'a belt to drive the pulley 9 on the shaft l0 which has the worm secured to the other end for driving a complementary worm gear as shown at I I in Fig. 1. An idling takeup pulley I2 engages` the belt between the pulleys 8 and 9 and its takeup, movement is manually controlled to provide a clutch in the machine drive.

As shown in Fig. 2, the saw 4 is selected to be suflicientlyrlarge in diameter to cover thespace of the whole of the wedge block carriage. The chord subtending the arc of the saw across the face of the block is substantially twenty-five degrees from the vertical and is disposed Isubstantially the same degree as the resultant cutting forces of the saw and thus aids in maintaining the vworkpiece blocks on their seats.

The bed I is provided with spaced upstanding shafts I3 and I4 carrying the sprocket wheels- I5 and I 6, respectively, which engage the links of the endless chain I1. The chain I1 travels ink a clockwise direction around these spaced sprocket wheels andv past the saw 4 which isv disposed substantially midway between the sprockets.v The chain I1 is driven from the shaft I0 through the worm gear Il, the shaft I4 and sprocket I6, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The pivot pin I8 in every fourth link of the chain I'I has the ears I9 hinged thereon which are formed integral with the upwardly open foursided tray or carriage 20. These projecting ears are secured to the foremost end of each carriage to permit it to be swung around the short radius of the sprocket gears I5 and I6. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the upwardly open carriage 20 has a bottom 2 I, the end walls 22 and 23 and the back Wa1l; 24;'.Th'e end walls of this'npwardlylwfw open four-sided carriage20 are each notched out adjacent the rear wall, as indicated at in Fig.1 4, for the purpose of receiving the depending flange of the guide rail 26, as shown in Fig, 2, ffor f steadying the top of the carriage as it passes the 15 saW 4. The carriages are also supportedlcythereY spaced rollers 2'I which cooperatewith the` guide, channel 26 to maintain the carriages in fixed path as the saw blade 4 is cutting the .blockswtheyil carry. The carriages are thus prevented from upper portion of the bracket 30. The crosshead,; ;:f.

carri@S.-.-t.he clampingdog orl nger 36 which openfates within the dimensions of the carriagg-to, .1 engage` and hold la .workpiece blocken ,theseat bythe pressure of the spring ,35;

Asgshownvin Fig. 4,' the..workpiece.block of,.-r wood B,ifrom which thewedge block istobe cutf., is cut, toV length and width and-lies,in..thev.up..-, wardly'open socket or seat denedbetween-the carriagegends'22 and 23 v'and the bottom 2 I.. This.,

ings.A When thegblo'ckjof, Wood isuplaced 0n the... seat'land thecrosshead 33Lisperrnitted .to move downwardly,the nger 35 engages in the block and holds the .same .against movement.. The..al

20 'swaying ,or becoming misalig-ned when .'-passingggg tending farmV 33 -havingma droller-39 `rotatably f mounted thereon and arranged toengagethecam, ,-A tracksi'fand 4I.' Whenthe `roller .lengages. either ,of the cam tracks 40 or 4I; itlifts the..

and 32v of 'the bracket `3|)` andraisethe. finger..

35 from. engagement with the block.-

When the carriage members Y2l] 'travel;around..

the sawing machine with'the chain. I 'I`, ltlie, rollers.

39 engagethe vcam .trackAD at theglowerwrightf 5i hand corner, as shown inf'gj.l 1..` raise the. dog or iinger member .36" andpermitthe block;k of wood B to .be inserted therein.,i Thislblock; extends outwardly of the .seatA onV the ,carriage and, "as the endless chain continues tomove theficarriage toward the saw, the roller 39. drops off th'egjcam 40"'and the..dog36"bitesinto the topp of the block to maintain it in position. 'IheV dog, 36f`is'aide'dby the pressure board 42iwhich1ap-- crosshead 33, causing it'to slide., inthe railsi. .\3L

plies` pressure toI the block ,tol helpgthold it cnn?n theseat Whileit'is'being I sawed. The .dogm36jis1u adjusted jso asto be closelyadjacenthe saw 4,1; butwill'not be engaged thereby. V As the carriagen 20"; passesY the saw .4, the outerv,overhanging por-L tion 'ofthe block of wood will begun. ofrifxsuch-3h 4 waste part passes on the outer face of the saw. As soon as the saw cuts the outer part 42 free from the block B, the scrap piece 42 will fall on the conveyor 43a from whence it is carried upwardly to a stock pile. If the scrap piece is suciently large to be out a second time, it is again conveyed to the machine so that it may be resawed. The wedge W that was cut is still held by the clamping iinger 36 in the seat 31 of the` carria'gegzj.;

`A :shimor gaugeblock'd l-is'seated` on the carriage for determining the size of the Wedges to benut. These shims may be made in different shapesgandfthicknesses for the purpose of functioning as a gauge to determine the shape and size-:oi-theewedgeeto be cut by the saw 4. In other,fwo,rds,if.the shim 48 is made thick or heavy so that it occupies almost all the space of theatriangularly shaped pocket 31, the wedge cut by the saw will of course be very thin and terminate. iin .a .Sharp point, If.. .pn theotheri han thehim-.lor.gaugebloick 48 is madeyeryfth' org;- om-itted-n-tirelyso as,to allowample spaceomtlrrem seat 37, ithe wedge-block cut by,;the.saw `II iWilhoit@ coursewloe:.exceedingly` large andA may havia-aggT blunt end instead of a sharp point.- It,yvo.uldbethicker and., it. maynot. be yrequired VAto taper to., apoint as. it, otherwisemustdo if the. glllg-f: block ,.43 takes most of .the-.space on the seat. K

Thesblock y28` also has, anupwardly extending... bearing. block .43. that supportsthe .verticahshaft fsgnaving, an ,arm :laat Atlienbottom.,thereof arg. rangedto besWung outthrough theslot 56.11%; the,... block. 23 and through ,fthe..slot 4l. 4of theshirnm or gaugejl as shown in .Figs 3 and.,4. The,arm of ,the...Shaft44 f,kicks the. Wedgeo,.1,of,.fthe seat when it isabove the conveyor hasshown in Fig,A 1. In order to swingthe, arm ,45. .,inl, a clockwise direction,` asviewef f1o1n- .Fig,1, la .postm It. .hav-insa .cross arm 52.' Witha .dependinazpi 53 is, pcsitioneddn a lin'efwith the,.upp,er arm Eri attached tc ,the shaftllf; The,arm..54jlengag,e s., therlepending l31.11.53 when ,the carriagejspas ingihefpcst. pausing. the., .shaft 44. tgrotatesinl.; a cleckwise. .direction as viewed 4in 2 Fig...` 1,. and,. th,usswing.,the.arrn `out through theslotsgw@ and 4? to Jstrike ,the Wedge `and,knockigit from.. @weegtonto the. canvesccr j ,56... Asprinag; haging l-one..s: nd locked on the .arm .Mami theothri. end. lockedyon the bracket 3 .is provided for ro-... tatingqthe shaft, fili. to,`retract..fthe allns 'as'gg shownjnjigw Inprier. to.pe1mit\the ejector... arm .45. to.. function fand, ,knock the out ,wedgefg frQm. the.. .seat 3 l, on. [the upwardlyonen .carriager-. the. hold-.down ,linger 36.. muster course berais' irc-ni its lclamping Vlengagement.. with the wedg ThiaisA accomplished by,;n1eans`,loi .a cam, ,trac,l{.,v. l l. asshown .in .Fia 1,.w1.1ch is. placedadiacent; the; @Qnvyolyf When .each .Carriage fis. moved.

faene-.thelbackioii the machine, .the-freller-.sfrf

together. Wthgthe relative position Oihe dei;

pending` pin. ,5 3;" determines. .the length 0i.y l.ithe, arcuate, rathY Of.. the..eiectorfa1m ai. Thesafa torsarer selected. to\insuKe lthatthe, arm 45.. e tenclsgbeycuddthe.. carraggwnen... shoving the...

adjusted on the post to locate the depending pin 53 at any selected position relative to the carriages 2l) and the striker arm 54. When a thick gauge or shim 48 is placed on the carriage 20, it may be preferable to remove the pin 53 closer to the carriage 2li so that the striker arm 54 causes the lower ejector arm 45 to extend further through the slots 46 and 41 and thus be sure to knock the wedge from position when the clamping nger 36 has been raised.

The blocks of wood from which wedges are made are cut to length and width and are then fed to the loading station A. When the machine is operating the blocks of wood are placed on the seats 3l by hand as the carriages pass the loading station A and the cam 40 maintains the clamping ngers 36 in their raised position. After the block has been properly placed on each seat 37 presented, the operator prepares himself by picking up another block in readiness for placing the same on the seat of the next consecutive carriage 2l). As the chain proceeds the dogs clamp the blocks of wood in place and the carriage carries the block of wood into the rotary saw 4, causing the same to cut off the outer slab 42 which drops to the conveyor 43a and is taken to a place where it may be sorted. If the discarded piece of material is suiciently thick to make another wedge, it may b e repeatedly delivered to station A for the purpose or recutting the same until there is insufficient material to take any more wedge cuts therefrom. Owing to the fact that the ller block 28 has an angularly disposed face and the faces forming a part of the carriage slot of the gauge block 48 are parallel, the angle of the face on the filler block 3 determined the angle of the wedge as the saw :l always cuts a true parallel edge relative to the carriage. then the clock formed would be rectangular.

This machine may be operated by one person who continuously feeds a block of wood to each carriage asv it is presented to the station A. The machine then cuts olf the waste material and automatically ejects the preformed wedge. The scrap and wedge are then removed from the vicinity of the machine by conveyors.

I claim:

1. In a machine for sawing blocks, the cornbination of an endless chain mounted for traveling in a horizontal plane along a front and back flight, a series of work holding carriages having bottom, back and end walls and pivotally attached to said chain to move therewith, track guide means along the front flight of said chain to engage and steady the carriages as they travel therealong, an upwardly and outwardly Open workpiece seat formed by the bottom, end and back walls on each carriage, dog means mounted on each carriage above its seat and biased to retain workpieces on said seats, a saw mounted adjacent said front night to cut the workpieces as they pass on said carriages, and cam means If the shim 48 is made wedge-shaped,

adjacent the traveling chain along the back flight to retract said dog means and release the cut workpiece.

2. In a machine for sawing blocks, the combination of an endless chain supported to travel in a, horizontal circuit having straight front and back sections, work holding carriages having bottom, back and end walls and of considerably greater length than the links of the chain and pivotally attached to said chain to move therewith, a workpiece seat formed by the bottom, end and back walls on each carriage, a workpiece clamp and ejector carried by each carriage to hold and discharge the workpiece from said seat, and trip means cooperating with the movement of said chain to retract said clamp and actuate the ejector on each carriage as they travel along the back section.

3. In a machine for sawing blocks, the combination of an endless chain supported for travel in a horizontal plane and traveling along front and back ights, work holding carriages having bottom, back and end walls and pivotally attached to said chain to travel therewith, support means for assuming the weight of said carriages as they travel with the chain, track guide means cooperating with said support means to hold the carriages on a true course as they travel along the front night of the chain, a, workpiece seat formed by the bottom, end and back walls on each carriage, clamp means mounted on each carriage above its seat to hold the workpiece on the carriage seat, a saw mounted to cut the workpiece as it is conveyed therepast by the carriage, and retracting cam means adjacent the traveling chain for opening said clamp means to remove and insert workpieces on said seats.

4. A work holding carriage for use on a block sawing machine comprising an upwardly open box having bottom, back and end walls secured together along their adjacent edges, a ller block secured in said box along the back wall but spaced from the front edge to provide a workpiece seat on the bottom and end walls, a gauge block occupying a. Dart of said seat and leaving a wedgeshaped portion for the workpiece, and clamp means carried by the carriage above said seat for holding a workpiece on said wedge-shaped portion.

ELMER L. MCCORMICK.

. REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 226,569 Temple Apr. 13, 1880 850,519 Busch Apr. 16, 7 1,344,860 Cable June 429, 1920 1,863,303 Goad June 14, 1932 1,956,874 Ninegar May l, 1934 2,025,474 Quigg Dec. 24, 1935 

